A Blessed Curse
by HippogriffRider77
Summary: Hermione Granger's worst nightmare comes true right before the beginning of her sixth year...she's told she must marry Draco Malfoy.
1. The Beginning of Their Ends

Hermione Granger stomped up the staircase and into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She smashed her suitcases against the wall and sat on her bed, breathing deeply.

_This_cannot _be__happening!_She thought to herself repeatedly, the thought becoming her mantra.

"Granger." A voice said from behind Hermione's door, making her attempts at calming down fail.

Hermione stood and walked to her bedroom door, opening it.

"I thought you were leaving." She said irritably, looking loathingly at the person on the other side of the threshold.

"I am, my mum told me to tell you the date our parents chose."

"Oh, so they're choosing everything? Why, that makes this _loads_better."

"Do you want to know the bloody date or not, Granger?'

"I guess I have no choice, now do I?"

"March 13th."

"Okay, then. Please leave my home now."

He laughed, "Looks like Granger isn't the pansy she used to be."

"If you want pansies, go see Parkinson. Don't stay in my home any longer than you have to be."  
>"Fine, it's much better than staying up here with you anyway, Granger."<p>

Hermione laughed bitterly and slammed the door in his face as an owl flew through her window. She looked back at it and saw Errol sitting on her desk, leaning against the window.

_Not__now,__Ginny,__not__now__… _she thought as she went over to Errol.

"Get some rest," she told him, knowing the Weasley owl better than even Ron.

She took the letter from his leg and he quickly fell asleep, but before she could read what the letter said, someone knocked on her door.

After the events of her day, she chose not to acknowledge either of her parents.

There was a knock on her door again.

And again.

Then, "Bloody hell, Granger, don't you know it's rude to ignore the door?" she heard as her door swung open.

"What the hell, Malfoy? Get out of my room!"

"Slight problem with that, Granger, I can't."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.

"My mother and your parents have decided we get to plan this."

"With your mum's approval, of course."  
>"No, it's just us."<p>

Hermione groaned, "Don't say that until it's actually a fact, _please_."

"Well, c'mon, Granger let's get this over with." Draco said, pushing past Hermione and sitting on her bed.

"Great," Hermione said, "Now I have to burn my bed; and my shirt."

"Oh, am I that disgusting to you, Granger?" he asked her mockingly offended.

"Yes, actually, you are…" Hermione thought for a moment, "Do you seriously think we'll finish planning this thing today?"

"Yes, I do actually think that, why?"

"You've never had anything to do with anything besides being an arse, have you?"

"I've had _many_things before, Granger," Draco winked, "Want to see what I mean?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, furious with her parents, "This is going to take awhile. It's a-God, I can't even say the word when it involves you without vomiting."

"Well, I don't want to be around to see that when it happens, so how 'bout we get this over with?" Draco lay back on Hermione's bed, "Come on, Granger. We have a wedding to plan."

Hermione groaned and closed her eyes, shaking her head, _Oh,__God._She told herself, realizing she would die before marrying Malfoy.

**A/N: So I know this is short, and it might not make sense, but I'll start to get into this story a lot over my winter break, (until next month, so expect more updates! (= this month) and it'll make more sense. So please, enjoy! **


	2. Surprise! Granger's name is changing

**A/N: So I don't go back to school until the 4th, so I'm posting a chapter of this and D.D and quite possibly Angel every day until then so keep reading and letting me know what you think, please! **

Hermione sat crossed legged looking out of Ginny's bedroom window. She was watching Ron, Harry and the twins fight with the garden gnomes, and she smiled to herself. She felt better in the Burrow with her friends than in her own home with that—_Malfoy._

She saw Ron get bitten by a gnome, making him shout out in anger and causing his brothers to laugh.

To Hermione, after everything that had happened during the summer, she was actually _okay_with the twins' constant pranks, the ghoul that lived over Ron's room and the fact that Harry was in more danger than ever with the title of the 'Chosen One'.

"Hermione, Mum said lunch is ready," Ginny said, walking into her bedroom.

Hermione nodded and followed Ginny downstairs.

"So, Hermione, is it true that you'll be a wife by the end of next term?" Bill Weasley asked after finishing a bite of the food had made.

Hermione could feel the shocked looks from Harry and Ginny, and she could imagine that Ron looked surprised, only with his mouth full of food and hanging open.

"Yes, it is true, and pardon me for asking, but where did you hear that?" Hermione asked Bill, ignoring the looks from her friends.

"Just rumors I heard around Gringots…and when I went to the Ministry to meet with dad, Percy was droning on about it with the Minister."

"I wasn't aware that the Minister knew…that will certainly make this more…_interesting_than it already will be." Hermione told them, silently cursing her future husband from hell.

"Well, Hermione this is a surprise, dear." Molly Weasley said, before making Ron close his mouth, "Who's the groom?"

"It—he's—we're keeping it secret until the…_wedding._I'm sorry for not telling any of you before now, but my—" Hermione choked on the word, "—fiancé and I agreed it would be best for no one to know until it's closer to the wedding."

"Now you and Phleg—Fleur can plan your weddings together." Ginny told Hermione, gaining a laugh from Fred and George.

"I suppose so."

"Well, I certainly want to hear all about this, Hermione, so Mum, we'll be upstairs." Ginny said standing and pulling Hermione away from the table.

Draco Malfoy sat in his bedroom, not acting smug or arrogant. He was just sitting.

"Draco, it's almost time to go." His mother said, knocking on his door.

"I know, Mum."

Draco was dreading the visit to his father in Azkaban, and nothing—_nothing_would change his hatred for the man who had raised him to be what he no longer was.

The son Lucius had once known was gone.

"What do you mean, 'I can't know', Hermione?" Ginny asked, sitting on her bed.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, you have no idea how much I want to tell you who I'm marrying, but we agreed to keep it a secret for a little while longer, we've only been…engaged…for a few weeks. I'm so sorry for not telling you sooner, but I didn't expect anyone to know besides who did before lunch."

Ginny grinned, not able to stay mad at her best friend, "If you chose to keep it hidden, I can't be mad at you…is it someone I know?"

"Yes, you know him."  
>"Do you absolutely love him?"<p>

"I have...very strong feelings for him." Hermione told her, not lying at all. Her feelings were strong for Malfoy—only, they were one hundred percent negative instead of positive.

"As long as you're happy. Be grateful I'm so understanding, though. Ron may not be."

"I'll deal with the Ronald problem when I reach that point. For now, I'm just going to…"

"You're going to tell me when this bloody wedding is so I can tell you how much of a distance there is between you becoming married and becoming related to the-phlegm."

Hermione laughed, grateful Ginny was her friend.


	3. Who did You Tell?

**A/N: And here's chapter three everybody! =-D**

September first came sooner than Hermione had expected it would. Before she knew it, the Weasleys, Harry and herself were going to the train station. Hermione ran through the barrier with her luggage and saw the dreaded blonde near the train. She stopped mid-walk and Ginny nearly ran into her.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" she exclaimed when Hermione noticed her.

"Sorry, I was, um…distracted." Hermione told her, not looking at her fiancé, who was watching the near-collision.

"Are you okay?"

Hermione nodded, briefly looking towards her future—ahem, _family_, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ginny didn't quite believe her, but she turned to her parents and Ron and walked towards the train anyway.

This left Hermione with Harry.

"Hermione, are you sure you're alright?" He asked her.

"I don't know." She whispered, looking at Harry and back at the train, "Come on, let's catch up to the others."

They walked in silence until they reached the Weasleys, who were saying their goodbyes to their children.

"Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I appreciate your letting me stay with you for the remaining part of the summer." Hermione told them as she climbed on board with Ginny.

"Of course, dear. And please, do tell us when you're ready to announce your engagement."

"I certainly will." Hermione told them, although all she could think was, _that won't be a problem since the arse already told the bloody Ministry._

The train started to move, and Harry and Hermione said their goodbyes before searching for the car Ron had gone to find.

When they reached it, Hermione stopped in the doorway, "Ron, we have a Prefects meeting."

"Oh, right. Sorry, Harry."

Harry shrugged, "I have Neville and Luna."

Hermione gave Harry an apologetic smile and walked towards the Prefect car with Ron.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I have to ask. When were you going to tell us you're engaged?" Ron asked when they reached the compartment, blocking the door.

"I was going to tell you tonight, at dinner. I'm sorry I didn't say anything."

Ron nodded and opened the door walking into the compartment with Hermione behind him.

Draco looked over his shoulder at who had entered and winked at Hermione, who rolled her eyes.

After the Prefects meeting, Ron waited for Hermione, expecting her to go back with him to their compartment.

"I'll be there in a minute; I need to talk to somebody first. Don't wait on me." She told him, hoping he would listen to her.

He didn't.

"Ron, go."

Ron sighed and walked back to the car, leaving Hermione with Draco.

"Just can't get enough of me, can you Granger?" he asked, smirking.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Keep telling yourself that if you must. We both know you want more than you have."

"You're much more of an arse than anybody thinks, aren't you?"

"What are you going on about now, Granger?"

"Why did you tell the Minister?"

"Tell the Minister what?"

"About our bloody wedding, Malfoy."

Draco looked confused, "I haven't told anybody."  
>"Oh really?"<p>

"Yes, really; what are you on about, Granger?"

"Bill Weasley asked me when I was planning on telling them I'm marrying in March and I didn't tell anybody. When I asked him how he knew he told me that someone was talking about it with the Minister. Why did you bloody tell?"

"Granger, why would I mention to anybody that you're getting married? My mum's the only one who knows _I'm _marrying you. I don't know the Minister knows, but I didn't say anything. Now if you don't mind, I actually _have _friends, so if you'll excuse me."

Draco pushed past Hermione and Hermione turned to leave. Before she could get out of the door, though, Harry walked in and closed the door.

"You're marrying Malfoy?"


	4. Professor, Please!

Hermione paced back and forth in the abandoned Prefects car, Harry sitting on one of the seats.

"You're marrying Malfoy? Why—how—Hermione, how are you marrying _Malfoy_? I think it'd be better if it was Crabbe of Goyle—and they're idiots." Harry said, still trying to get used to the fact.

Hermione paced again and shook her head.

"No? You're not—you're not marrying Malfoy? I could've sworn I just heard you two talking about it."

"I don't have a bloody choice, Harry!" Hermione shouted, stopping mid-stride and looking at Harry, "Do you honestly think I'd be marrying the ferret boy if I had the choice?"

Harry sat silently, his mouth hanging open at how Hermione defended herself, "Then why are you marrying that—that git?"

"Our parents are making us." Hermione sighed, sitting next to Harry.

"Lucius Malfoy is making his son marry a Muggle born?"

"Not Lucius, his wife. I don't really understand why, but we have to marry in March."

"Does Ginny know you're marrying him?"

Hermione shook her head, "You're the only one who knows." She looked at Harry worriedly, "Don't tell anyone. Not yet."

Harry nodded, "I won't. Come on; let's get back to the others."

A long while later, the train reached Hogwarts. Hermione, Ron, Luna and Neville rode in a carriage up to the school together after agreeing that Harry was probably already at the school.

It wasn't until halfway through dinner that Draco walked into the Great Hall, and Hermione feigned intrigue at what Ron was saying between mouthfuls to ignore the blonde walking past Ron's back—straight in Hermione's eye line.

After a few more minutes and Harry still wasn't at dinner, Hermione smacked Ron, "How are you eating? Your best mate is missing!"

"Oi! Look next to you, you lunatic." Ron said his mouth full of food.

Hermione turned to see who was sitting beside her and saw Harry, with a rag on his nose.

"You're bleeding." She said, feeling dread.

Malfoy hadn't done that…had he?

"Really? I had no idea, Hermione." Harry said, trying not to make eye contact with her.

"Bloody hell mate, what happened?" Ron asked, and he stopped shoving food in his mouth.

_About time _Hermione thought, looking briefly at Ron before looking back at Harry.

"Malfoy," Harry answered simply, sharing a look with Hermione that only they'd understand.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered.

Hermione didn't say anything, just looked quietly at her food.

"Miss Granger," a voice said behind Hermione, and she turned to see Professor McGonagall standing behind her.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you."

"Wha—Professor, she hasn't done anything wrong." Harry spoke up, looking at McGonagall.

"I did not ask you for your opinion, Mr. Potter. Miss Granger, come with me, please."

Hermione stood and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall, where Draco Malfoy was waiting.

"Professor, what's going on?" Hermione asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore has said that it has been asked by your parents for you two to share a down this term to get used to future living arrangements."

"What?" Draco and Hermione both asked at the same time.

"Professor," Draco started, "I was looking forward to seeing my old dormitory again, so I don't know if this would—"

"Please, Professor McGonagall, don't let me live with _him_! Please." Hermione begged.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, I'm sorry but you have no choice, your parents have insisted. Please get you belongings from your dormitories and meet in my office in ten minutes."

"Professor—" Hermione tried

"No arguments, Miss Granger. Go gather your things."

Hermione sighed and Draco sighed, gave each other a loathing look, and went towards opposite sides of the castle to see their beloved common rooms one last time.

Hermione finished putting her belongings in the dorm in a way she would learn to get used to and turned around. She saw Malfoy adjusting some award on his dresser on the other side of the room, and she groaned.

"At least I have interesting things, Granger," he said, not bothering to turn.

Hermione rolled her eyes and saw something familiar on his luggage.

"Because 1984 is only interesting when you read it?" she asked, seeing a stack of books in his suitcase, "Does that also apply to all of the Shakespeare and Charles Dickens too?"

Draco turned and slammed his luggage shut, "Bloody hell, Granger! Privacy still applies even though we're sharing a dormitory."

Hermione smirked and grabbed the copy of Macbeth that had fallen out of his luggage, "Do you mind? I lost my copy."

Draco just stared at Hermione, surprise in his expression more than anger.

Hermione smiled, "Thanks, I guess." She said, walking over to her bed with the book.

**A/N: So I know the chapters so far are slow, but they are _gradually _getting longer.**

**Be patient with me, please! **


	5. Hermione, we have A Problem

Hermione sighed and looked straight ahead at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall at breakfast, ignoring the shiny plates of food that surrounded her.

"Hermione?" someone asked, and she jumped, looking up to see Harry sitting across from her, looking worried, "Are you alright?"

Hermione shook her head, "This whole marriage thing…it's driving me insane. I swear, Harry, I'm going to be mad by the end of first term."

Harry laughed, "It's going to be okay, Hermione."

"How? You know when Ron and everyone else finds out that I'm engaged to _Draco Malfoy, _nobody is going to look at me the same way! Nothing will be the same!"

"Hermione, be grateful that I know enough to help you."

Hermione nodded, and forced a piece of toast down her throat, "He reads Muggle classics."

"Who does?"

"Draco."

Harry choked on his juice, "You're serious?"

"Yeah," Hermione nodded, "I saw his books when we were unpacking last night."

"Malfoy _reads _too? Wow, Hermione, his mum must have gotten to him."

Hermione sighed, "Harry, I'm not done yet. He let me take his copy of 1984 from him without being ignorant."

"Wow, Hermione, he must _really _be making an effort for your family not to hate him."

"Harry, I'm serious. He's being…well, not _brilliant,_ but pleasant to be around to an extent."

"You're not falling for Malfoy, are you, Hermione?"

"Of course not! I'm still repulsed by the thought of having to marry him in five months…damn, it's only five months."

"It' going to be okay, Hermione; promise."

"Harry, I know you want to help me through this, but…you can't. You have to concentrate on being able to defeat Voldemort somehow. To help Remus recover from Sirius, to help Tonks."

"Hermione, I can do that and be there for you, too. It isn't like I'm not capable of doing more than one thing."

"I know that, Harry, but if you're worrying about me, how can you worry about whatever Dumbledore asked you to do?"  
>"Hermione, don't worry about me. I promise, I'm capable of helping you. That's what friends do for each other. Besides, you said yourself no one else knows besides me, you and Malfoy, and I'm sure you don't want to ask him for help, so who else do you have?"<p>

Hermione smiled slightly, "Thanks, Harry…so do you have your schedule figured out? Do _not _give McGonagall reason to give you detention, Harry Potter, because you know she will."

Harry gave Hermione a confused look, and she looked quickly to the side of Harry, where Ron had seated himself as she was talking.

"Oh, yeah, it's all figured out. Ron and I have a free period this morning, too."

"Do _not _get in trouble with Snape, either, and that goes for you too, Ron. You both know he looks for reasons to torture you."

"Yes, Hermione," Ron and Harry said together, and Hermione felt someone sit next to her.

"Hello, Ginny; prepared for class?" Hermione asked her, noticing Harry's reaction and trying not to roll her eyes.

"Yes, I am, thanks for asking. Ron, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Later, Ginny, I'm eating." Ron asked, quickly shoving something into his mouth.

"Ron, it's important; from Mum about Bill and Phlegm."

"Tell me here."  
>"I can't, just come on."<p>

Ron groaned, "Fine. See you two soon." And stood, walking out of the Great Hall with Ginny.

"I hope everything's okay," Hermione said.

"Me too; come on, let's get to class."

Hermione looked up and saw Draco walking towards the Slytherin table, and for a brief moment, they looked at each other.

"Yes, let's go." Hermione said, quickly getting up and almost running out of the Great Hall.

"Hermione, we have a problem," Harry muttered, standing next to Hermione in Potions.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, aggravated with the beetle roots they were supposed to be trying to cut.

"Ron knows."

"Ron knows what, Harry?" she tried to cut the beetle again, only to have it jump away from her knife, "Damn."

"Squeeze, not cut, Hermione, it works better. And, as for what Ron knows, somehow he found out about you and Malfoy's engagement."

Hermione dropped her knife on the table and looked at Harry, "How did he find out? Did you—"

"No, promise. I don't know how he found out, but he knows…and although I know you aren't particularly fond of your engagement, you may want to keep Ron away from your fiancé anyways." Harry said, looking towards the other side of the dungeon, where Ron was standing not far from Draco, looking hateful as he attempted to cut his beetles and Seamus dodged the fast moving blade.

"That isn't good…not good. Okay, Harry, don't let me out of your sight after class, or I may go and strangle Malfoy myself for telling Ron before I could."

"It wasn't Malfoy who told him."

"Then who was it?"

"No idea; but Ron swears it wasn't Malfoy."

Hermione looked back at her potion, suddenly no longer interested in winning over Slughorn that day.

Hermione walked out of the dungeons by herself, stopping halfway to the marble staircase, waiting for Harry to finish with Slughorn, when Ron walked up to her.

When she tried to walk around him, "I need to get to class," Ron dodged her.

"No, Hermione, we need to talk."

"What about?"

"I thought we were friends, Hermione; best friends."

"We are, Ron…what are you talking about?"

"Some friendship we have."

"What are you going on about?"

"Oh nothing, except, when were you planning on telling me you're engaged to Malfoy?"


	6. When were You Going to Tell Me!

Hermione looked at Ron and sighed, "Ron, I was planning on telling you…eventually."

"What's that supposed to mean, Hermione? What, did you not tell us because you didn't think we could handle it? Or were you just trying to hide the fact that you're in love with Malfoy from everyone but Harry?"

"Ron, it isn't like that, I promise."

"Then what is it like, Hermione?"

"I don't have a choice, Ron! I didn't get any say in if I marry him or not, our parents decided that for us!"

"Why didn't you tell me when you told Harry?"

"Well, for one, you weren't there, for another, I didn't think anyone would listen to you if you attacked another Prefect before the term even started, and three, I was going to tell you once Malfoy and I had figured out how we're planning on handling this."

"Why didn't you tell me yourself, Hermione, I could have helped you all along! I mean, Harry's known all this time and—"

"Ron, he's known since yesterday, when he heard me and Malfoy fighting on the train!"

"When were you with Malfoy on the—that's why you wanted me to leave, isn't it? You didn't want me to know."

"Ron, I was going to tell you, honestly, but—"

"You weren't ready to tell your 'best friends' that you're marrying the ferret?"

"Ron, you know I don't fancy Malfoy, I don't even have any positive feelings towards him, but I have to marry him, or my parents could get hurt, and everyone I love could be killed, including you. You know how awful he's always been to me, so really, Ronald, why would you think I'd _choose _to marry him?"

"How did Harry find out? And why am I the last to know? Aren't we friends too, or have you replaced me with Ginny?"

"Ginny? Ron, Ginny doesn't know yet."

"Oh, really? Then why is she the one who told me?"

Hermione looked confused, and when Harry showed up, he realized that he'd walked into something serious.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, looking from Ron to Hermione and back.

"Ronald seems to think that I told Ginny about the engagement before I told him."

"Because you did!"

"No, I didn't! Unless Harry said something to her, I don't know how she knows!"

"Hermione, you know I didn't tell anyone, remember?" Harry asked.

Ron shook his head, "Wow, Hermione, I didn't know you had it in you to lie to my own face…especially about something as serious as this that you told my _sister _about instead o me."

"Ron, I didn't say anything to Ginny about the engagement, I promise! I am not lying to you, Ronald Weasley, I don't know how she found out, but I promise you it wasn't me who said anything!"

By then, their next classes had already started, but none of the ghosts or professors nearby seemed to bother to tell them to move along to their classrooms.

"Hermione, you do realize that McGonagall's going to be angry that you're late to class, don't you?" Harry asked, "And Ron and I are going to get detention from Snape."

"Harry, I don't bloody care right now! I want to know why one of my best friends doesn't believe me, and I'm not leaving this spot until I find out!"

Both Harry and Ron looked surprised at Hermione's outburst, and soon after both of them were laughing.

"Hey!" Hermione hit both of them with her books, "It isn't funny! If you two can't be mature enough to help me with everything for my future life in hell, then I guess we aren't really friends at all!"

Harry stopped laughing, but Ron kept grinning like he was about to start laughing again.

"Honestly," Hermione scoffed, "neither of you can be trusted to help me with this, can you?"

"How did Ginny find out, Ron?" Harry asked, trying to help Hermione.

"I dunno, she just told me during breakfast, and she was bloody furious about it. Poor Dean isn't going to know what hit him, trying to deal with her when she's mad." Ron turned to Hermione then, "Sorry I didn't listen."

"I guess it's just in your genetics to be stubborn." Hermione told him, seeing Professor Dumbledore standing at the top of the marble staircase, looking down at them.

"Professor," Harry started, "I'm sorry we aren't in class—"

"It's my fault, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione admitted, silencing Harry's apology, "Please, if detention is involved, don't give it to Ron or Harry."

Ron started to spout his own excuse to Dumbledore when Hermione kicked him rather roughly in his lower leg.

All three nervous sixth years stared up at their Headmaster, waiting for punishment; instead, all they received was a shake of the head, and Dumbledore was gone.


	7. Homework Has I

Hermione sat down in History of Magic and watched as Harry approached their teacher, the ghost of Professor Binns, and explain why they were late. Once their teacher had nodded his understanding, Harry went to sit in his usual spot between Hermione and Ron.

"Thanks for that, Harry," she whispered, "I don't think I'll be able to handle another teacher confrontation today."

"Sure, Hermione; but what are you going to do about Malfoy and Ron now? Does he even know that I know?" Harry asked her, surprised that she wasn't trying to hurriedly write everything she had missed down.

"As far as I know, he thinks the only people who know are our parents, us, and the people from the Ministry who told Ron's brother." Hermione told him, trying not to look at him, "But I'm sure he won't care that you two know."

"How do you figure that?" he replied, and Ron turned his head to hear them better.

Hermione shrugged, "He knows you two are my best friends. Besides, I'm sure those idiots, Crabbe and Goyle already know. And he's probably told Zabini and Parkinson, too."

"What if they don't know, Hermione? They'll be furious, especially Parkinson. She thinks they have some special bond or something." Ron added in, to which he got looks of shock from both Harry and Hermione.

"How do you… never mind, I don't want to know," Hermione shook her head, "Do you think we're going to get called to Dumbledore's office for that? He didn't even talk when he saw us."

"Hermione, if he wanted us in there, we'd be in there." Harry told her.

Hermione sighed, "I really hope the entire school doesn't find out that I have to marry him…its bad enough that I have to know about it."

"Would you mind shutting it?" a Ravenclaw none of them knew snapped from the desk in front of them, "Some of us are trying to sleep in here!"

Hermione sighed and whispered a hurried apology, immediately turning back into her normal self of hanging on to every word Professor Binns drew out.

"Ron, you said Ginny told you. How did she know if Hermione didn't tell her?" Harry whispered, turning away from Hermione as not to distract her.

"She said she'd heard you talking about it, I dunno when. Why wouldn't she tell me, though? Did she tell you she was angry at me or something?" Ron asked, glancing nervously at Hermione as though she would hear him.

"Ron, the only people she's angry with are the people who are making her marry the biggest git ever to step foot in Hogwarts, besides maybe Snape. She was trying to figure out when to tell you, it wasn't a favorite-best-friend thing at all. I found out by accident, overheard them fighting about it on the train the way here."

"Did she tell you why she has to marry him?"

Harry shrugged, "Something about his mum thinking it's the best way to keep the bloodline going or something, I don't think she even completely understands it."

"Harry…do you think Hermione would…" Ron coughed in a way that sounded forced, "Never mind."

"Do I think Hermione would what, Ron?"

"Nothing." Ron said hurriedly, "Not shut it, I'm trying to listen. You never know, Harry, it might be important."  
>Harry sighed and hit Ron in the arm with his book.<p>

"Bloody hell, Harry! What was that for?" Ron whisper-yelled, rubbing his arm.

"Ron, I barely touched you, that didn't hurt. You need to answer my question before I have Hermione ask you to."

Ron groaned, "Fine. But you can't tell her."

"I won't tell her."

Sighing, Ron started speaking, "Good; do you think that their marriage has to be like an actual…you know, marriage?"

"I would think so, that's why it's marriage, Ron."

"No, I mean…do you think they have to love each other, in the end?"

"I'm sure people expect them to, eventually, why, what are you thinking?"

"Harry…before you came to stay with us this summer, when Hermione was just at the Burrow…things kind of, you know, changed, and…"

"You like Hermione."

"What? No, that's…that's not what I'm saying at all, Harry, bloody hell, what are you thinking—" Ron said hurriedly, his ears turning red.

"Ron." Harry hit him again, "You like Hermione, why didn't you tell her before I got there?"

"Well, I was going to, mate, but…the day I finally woke up and decided to, Charlie said he heard she was engaged, and…I couldn't. But now, if it's Malfoy…then it wouldn't matter if I admitted it to her, would it? You don't think she…actually l—loves him, do you?"

"Hermione love Malfoy? No, not in a million years would that happen, Ron. Come on, you should know that."

"R…right. Well, I will tell her. Maybe. I dunno. Probably. No…no, probably not."

Later that day, after their classes had finished and there was time before dinner, Hermione entered her new dorm, nearly running into her house-mate.

"Watch out, Granger, wouldn't want people to see you aren't always a bookworm." Draco said, beginning to help her gain her balance before awkwardly dropping his hands.

"Coming from the person hiding that he reads decent literature? I don't think I'll take advice from you on that, then, Malfoy," Hermione said, noticing how close he'd come to helping her, before taking a step around him and dumping her bag near the couch.

"Speaking of that, Granger. You haven't told anybody about those, have you?"

"What, the books?" Hermione said, turning around, "No, nobody. Who would believe me if I did, anyway? You haven't told anybody about the wedding, have you?"

"Who would believe me if _I _did, Granger?" he shot back, opening the door to the dorm room again.

Hermione expected him to leave, so she turned back towards her books.

"Oh, and Granger?" she heard him say reluctantly, and she slowly turned around.

"Hm?"

"Thank you…for not telling."

"Yeah, um…you're welcome."

Draco nodded and coughed awkwardly, "I've got Quidditch practice."

Hermione nodded quickly and fumbled over her words, "Yeah, homework has I, and…I, I mean—"

"You've got homework. Caught it, Granger." Draco smirked, before leaving, Hermione standing, confused, behind.


	8. Bloody hell, Harry!

Draco Malfoy walked into his dormitory and crumpled the parchment in his hand; he knew that all the letter would say would be that his father wanted him to visit him in prison once again. He took a step forward and threw the balled-up letter onto the fire. As long as he could, Draco planned on putting off another visit to that island. He always hated having to visit Azkaban.

Thunder cracked from the other side of the wall, and the memory of the last time he saw Lucius was immediately replaying in his mind; what he had been told only made him angry again, and he had to grip the mantle to keep from hurting something.

"Draco?" a confused voice said, and he gripped the mantle even tighter in surprise, "Are you alright?"

"I hadn't realized that you were here, Granger."

"I think if you hold onto that anymore, you're going to end up breaking something, and then we'll have to answer to either Dumbledore or Pomfrey."

Draco sighed and moved his hands, shaking his hands out, "Sorry to disturb you, Granger."

"No, I'm not disturbed," Hermione said, walking to stand next to him. "I've been waiting for you to get back, actually."

Draco turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow, "Why's that, Granger?"

Hermione held her hand up, a copy of Macbeth in it, "I finished reading it, I figured you'd like it back."

"I'd forgotten that you had it," he said, taking the book from her. "Thanks, Granger."

"The same to you, Malfoy."

He gave her a confused look and stepped away from the fire, sitting on the couch in front of it, stretching out, "Why thank me, Granger?"

"You willingly let me borrow your book." Hermione gestured towards the spot next to him, "May I?"

"Go ahead," he groaned, leaning his head against the back of the couch and closing his eyes.

Hermione sat next to him, "Are you okay? You aren't being your typically arrogant self."

"Sorry to disappoint, I'll hopefully be back to being the git you hate by tomorrow."

"It isn't exactly a disappointment; it's nice not being called Mudblood every day," Hermione said, and Draco opened an eye to look at her. "Sorry. You can forget I said anything, I'm just talking without being able to stop as always. It must just be a Muggle-born flaw."

Draco took a deep breath, "At this point, I think I'd prefer to be Muggle-born instead of pureblood."

Hermione wasn't sure whether he was being serious or if he was joking, but she couldn't stop looking at him for confirmation.

"Don't look so surprised, Granger," he sighed, sitting up. "I'm actually being serious."

Hermione looked down at her hands sitting in her lap. She didn't know what to say. For once, the Slytherin that had tormented her for years seemed to be honest.

"Afraid I'm lying?" he asked, and she looked up, "I'm being honest, Granger. I'm not up for terrifying my fiancé with the details just yet, but yes, I would like to be something besides a Malfoy right now."

_Fiancé. _The word was still hard for her to swallow, even after months of having time to get used to the idea.

"Mi—might I ask why?"

Draco shrugged, "Well, I don't see why not, we probably should talk in the next five months. My father's in prison for being a Death Eater, and my mother keeps owling me to ask about going to visit him in Azkaban. For once, being me is the last thing I want to be known as."

"Why don't you go to see him? He's your father."

"You're supporting this, why? My father tried killing you and Potter last spring."

"I remember," Hermione shrugged. "I guess I'm just being supportive because no matter what he's done to my best mates and I, he _is _going to be my father-in-law in March. And you're going to be my…husband."

They both looked uncomfortable by the recognition for a moment, but Hermione continued to speak.

"The most contact my parents had with our world has been going to Diagon Alley every year with me, until you and your mother showed up at our house. My parents took away their only daughter's biggest choice so that they could make sure that they don't die. I have to marry you because of it. In five months, you and I have to make a life for ourselves together, because that's what our parents decided. So…I guess that's why I'm being supportive. I'm going to have to, for the rest of our lives."

Hermione stood up and pushed through the porthole, needing a minute to herself.

* * *

><p>"Mione?" Harry asked, dropping his homework onto the table in the Gryffindor common room and standing up, "Are you okay?"<p>

"I'm marrying Malfoy," Hermione whispered, not realizing she was shaking until Harry put his hand on her arm to steady her. "I'm marrying Malfoy in five months."

"Yes, Hermione, we've known this. In fact, you and I were talking about it just the other day. Are you feeling okay? It isn't very comforting to know that you're beginning to forget things."

"No, Harry, I remember telling you, and I remember Ron finding out, but…I was just talking to him, and it set in. In five months, I'm going to…lawfully bound to Draco Malfoy for the rest of my life. I'm going to have to live with him, and call myself Hermione Malfoy, and…oh, God, Harry, I'm going to have to have children with him, Harry!"

"Hermione, calm down. I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself, it is five months. It might not even have to happen, you can calm—"

"I'm _marrying Malfoy, _Harry! How am I supposed to calm down?"

"Hermione, breathe. Wait…what do you mean, you were talking to Malfoy?"

"It means that I was talking to Malfoy. He's actually very civil if we aren't around anybody else. It just…bloody hell, Harry, what am I supposed to do?"


	9. Of Tears and Almosts

**A/N: This chapter's kind of long, just a warning. It's also a very important chapter for me, so please read and review!**

A few weeks before Halloween, Hermione woke up to see an owl perched on her windowsill, a letter curled in its beak. She sat up and looked behind her at the other bed, not wanting to wake up her roommate, but he was gone. Hermione stood up and walked to her window, opening it. She expected the owl to fly inside, but instead it dropped the letter into her hand and flew away. Hermione unrolled the letter and saw her mother's handwriting. She sat down on her bed and read the letter.

* * *

><p>Draco stepped out of the dormitory bathroom, pulling the black jacket of his suit onto his shoulders. He lifted his towel up and ran it over his head, making sure his hair was dry. Looking over towards the beds, he saw Hermione curled up near the head of her bed, her legs curled towards her.<p>

"You alright there, Granger?" he asked, tossing his towel onto the ground next to his bed, leaving it for the House-Elves.

Hermione jumped and wiped her eyes, barely looking back at him, "Y…yes, I'm fine."

"You're crying, Granger, obviously that doesn't make you fine."

"Why do you care?" Hermione snapped, turning to look at him, "I'm the annoying Mudblood Granger, remember?"

Draco gave her a confused look, "You're not 'the annoying Mudblood Granger' anymore, you're my fiancé Hermione. And in a way, I guess we're friends at this point."

Hermione dropped the letter onto the floor in front of her.

"We…we're friends, are we, Malfoy?"

"I…I thought we were, in a way, Granger. So what is it, why're you crying?" Draco took a step towards her, unsure if it was okay, and when she didn't stop him he continued until he was sitting on her bed on the other side of her, looking at her.

"My grandfather's dying," Hermione said quietly, slowly looking up at him from her hands. "He's in the hospital, and…they don't know how much longer he has."

Draco didn't know what to say; he knew there wasn't anything that he could say to make it better, to make her happy, and that was what he wanted. Things had changed since he had started sixth year, and the resentment he had felt towards the Gryffindor had changed to something else. He thought it was friendship, which would be a good thing since they were engaged, but he wasn't sure.

A fresh tear fell from Hermione's eye and rolled down her face, and Draco instinctively lifted a hand to wipe it away. He hesitated—was it going to be okay with her?—but before he let himself overthink it, he touched his hand to her face and gently wiped away her tears.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, he asked, lowering his hand.

Hermione took a deep breath and shook her head, "I don't know. I don't want to have to wait until it's too late to say goodbye to go home, but…classes are too important right now to miss, and—"

"Granger, I'm sure McGonagall will understand if you need to go home for a few days. I've seen your classwork, you're ahead of us in class, it won't be a big deal."

"For once, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do," Hermione sighed.

"I can talk to McGonagall about you going home for a few days if you want me to," Draco offered. "In case you can't talk about it."

"I'm talking to you about it, aren't I?" Hermione asked, looking up at him, "No, I can talk to Professor McGonagall about it when I go to class. Thanks though, Malfoy."

* * *

><p>"Boys, can I talk to you for a second?" Hermione whispered, standing behind where Ron and Harry were sitting in the back row of Transfiguration.<p>

"Are you feeling alright, Hermione?" Ron asked, turning with Harry to look at her.

"Yeah, you want to talk during class, are you sure you aren't ill?" Harry asked, giving her a worried look.

"Professor McGonagall told me that this would be the best class to tell the both of you, so please? I know you two don't actually care about class, so come on, she told me we can talk in the hall."

Ron and Harry shared a confused look and stood up, following Hermione into the corridor.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Harry asked, "Are you okay?"

"My grandfather's in the hospital, and he isn't doing well. I'm getting ready to leave for home for a few days to be with my family. Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore excused me from class and arranged for me to go home. I just wanted to say goodbye," Hermione explained, looking up at her best friends.

"Damn, 'Mione," Ron whispered, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry."

Hermione hugged him back and felt Harry put a hand on her back. They stayed that way for several minutes until Hermione pulled away and moved to hug Harry.

"It'll be okay, Hermione," Harry whispered in her ear. "Just owl me if you need anything while you're away."

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione whispered, looking over her shoulder to see a familiar person standing in the doorway to McGonagall's office, waiting. "There probably is something else that you should know—"

"Miss Granger, the Apparition boundaries have been lifted, you best be going," Professor McGonagall said, appearing behind Harry.

"Okay," Hermione said, pulling Ron towards her so the three of them could hug each other. "I'll be back soon." She told them, before following her teacher into her office.

* * *

><p>The door to the Granger house opened, and Hermione's mother stood in the doorway.<p>

"Oh, Hermione, I'm so glad you were able to come home," her mother said, pulling her into a hug and into the house. She began closing the door and Hermione shook her head.

"Wait, Mum, actually, I brought—"

"I hope I'm not intruding, Mrs. Granger," Draco said, walking up to the house, a suitcase in each hand. "Hermione asked me to come."

"Not at all, Draco, please come in," her mother smiled, stepping back. Draco walked into the house and Hermione took her suitcase from him.

"Thank you for doing this," she whispered, nodding towards the stairs. "You really can leave if you want to. I can't imagine you want to spend any time with Muggles."

"I told you I would come with you, Granger, stop questioning before I start," he said, following her upstairs.

Once Hermione reached the door to her bedroom, she stopped and turned around, forcing Draco to stop in his tracks leaving little space between them. Hermione felt something accelerate inside of her, and her hand ran across the wall behind her, looking for the doorknob.

"T-the guest room is down the hall," Hermione stammered quietly, looking up into his eyes. "I'll show you once I put my bag inside."

"No rush, Granger," Draco whispered, taking another step forward, making the space between them even smaller. "Take all the time you need."

Hermione felt herself wondering what would happen if she leaned forward…the wonder was excruciatingly strong. Finally, she drew in a sharp breath and found her doorknob, twisting it and pushing her door backwards, tumbling in after it.

"Careful there, Granger. Wouldn't want you breaking a bone on your first night home," he laughed, leaning in her doorway.

After getting settled in, Hermione walked down the hall to her parents' guest room and knocked on the doorframe, peeking in.

"Please tell me you aren't doing something that would scar even Fred and George," she called, pushing the door open.

"Give me some credit, Granger. I've been living with you since the first night back, clearly I'm not the type," he called back.

Hermione took a step in and looked around the corner to see Draco putting his suitcase in the gap between the bed and the wall.

"My mum says that my grandmother won't be here until dinner, so you still have time to get out." She said, leaning against the wall.

Draco straightened and turned to face her, "I already told you, Granger, I'm not going anywhere. Why are you trying to get rid of me so badly?"

"I'm just making sure you're not trying to get out on your own," Hermione shrugged, laughing slightly. "I don't know, I guess I'm just making sure you know that my grandmother will know about the engagement by now, and will probably say something when she sees you tonight."

"Well then, I will make sure to pour all of the Malfoy charm onto your grandmother that I possibly can," Draco laughed.

"Oh, and you honestly expect that to work?" she laughed, crossing her arms.

"It's obviously been working on you, hasn't it Granger?" Draco smirked.

Neither one of them had noticed that during their conversation they had moved towards each other until they were standing only inches apart. Hermione tilted her head up to look at him, and neither of them said anything; they stood there in silence. Eventually, Draco lifted his hand to her face and pushed one of her curls out of her face and behind her ear, his hand curling around her face. He bent his head closer to hers, and she felt her eyes close.

Just then, a car door slammed from outside, and Draco and Hermione jumped apart.

"Hermione!" her mother called up the stairs, "Come downstairs, darling, your grandmother's here."

"Parents. Downstairs." Hermione said to herself, catching her breath.

"Come on, Granger." Draco said, stepping around her.

* * *

><p>"Hermione, dear, I don't think you remembered to properly introduce me to your friend," Hermione's grandmother said that night at dinner.<p>

Hermione looked up from her plate at Draco, who had been seated next to her, then to her grandmother.

"Gran, this is Draco Malfoy…my fiancé," she got out without choking, causing her eyes to momentarily widen as she looked at him before back at her grandmother, "Draco, this Eleanor Granger. My grandmother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Granger, Hermione has only told me wonderful things about you," Draco said, nodding towards Eleanor.

"Please, call me Eleanor, dear," her grandmother said. "It surely is a pleasure to finally meet you. My son has refused to tell me anything about the wedding. When did you say it was again?"

"March 13th, Gran," Hermione said.

"Well, why haven't I received my invitation yet? I do hope I'm invited."

"Well, Mrs…Eleanor. Hermione and I haven't sent the invitations out to anybody yet. We were planning on doing that on our way back to school." Draco told her.

Hermione gave him a confused look, "We are?"

Draco laughed and took a drink, "You really are forgetful, love. We were talking about it just earlier on the way here, don't you remember?"

"What are you doing?" she whispered, grateful that her grandmother was speaking to her parents.

"The only people who know it was arranged are our _parents, _Granger. We have to sell it otherwise, remember?"

"Hermione," her mother said, causing her head to snap from looking at Draco to looking at her mother.

"Yes, Mum?"

"Your grandmother asked you and Draco about where the wedding's being held, dear."

Hermione, unknowingly, gripped a tighter hold of Draco's hand from under the table. Neither of them knew they were doing it in the first place.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Hermione walked downstairs to see her mother sitting at the foot of the stairs, crying softly.<p>

"Mum?" Hermione asked, sitting next to her, "What happened? Are you oaky?"

"Hermione…oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," her mother sniffed, hugging Hermione to her. "Your grandfather passed away this morning."

A deep-set feeling of nausea set into Hermione's stomach, and she hugged her mother for several minutes before she felt safe enough to talk.

"Do…do Gran and Dad know yet?"

"No," her mother whispered, shaking her head. "I answered the call, and neither of them are awake yet. Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

Hermione took a deep breath and stood up, "I'll be right back, Mum. I'm going to tell Draco what happened."

Hermione walked slowly upstairs and down the hall, feeling numb; she was too sad to think, but her mind wouldn't stop spinning. It was affecting her body in the strangest ways.

The door opened before she could knock.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, looking at her face, tear tracks stained onto her cheeks from tears she hadn't realized she cried, "Damn, I'm so sorry." He said quietly, holding his arms out and pulling her close to him, holding onto her while she cried.

"I can't do this," Hermione whispered, beginning to shake as she followed her parents into the church two days later. "Draco, I can't do this."

"You _can _do this," he told her, tightening his arm around her. "If you want, we can wait outside away from all of this until the procession so you don't have to be near it."

Hermione took a deep breath and walked towards the front, pulling herself closer to him, needing the comfort.

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron stood in front of the doors to the castle, ignoring the odd looks they were getting from other students. It was the day Hermione was supposed to get back, and they couldn't wait to have their best friend back.<p>

"Won-Won!" somebody called, and Ron's face flooded with color, "What are you doing? Come on!"

"Lav, I'll meet you later," Ron called back. "I'm with Harry right now."

"Oh, no, go on Won-Won," Harry laughed. "She'll understand."

Ron groaned and stepped towards where Lavender was waiting, "Tell 'Mione to come by the Common Room later so I can see her."

Harry waved him off, and almost immediately after Ron disappeared, Hermione appeared, walking towards the castle. Harry took off towards her, and for once he hugged her first, catching her by surprise.

"Harry!" she gasped, holding onto him, "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I could probably guess, 'Mione, Ron was with Lavender nearly the whole time," Harry said, pulling back to look at her. "Are you okay? Blimey, of course you aren't okay. When I didn't hear from you until the day after the funeral, I felt terrible, I wish I could've done something—"

Harry stopped talking as he looked behind Hermione and saw Draco walking towards the castle.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, "Are you alright?"

"Where does he get off?" Harry asked, glaring at Draco until he walked past, "Did he even ask if you were okay before you left?"

"Yeah, Harry, about that—"

"Excuse me," Draco said, pushing himself between Hermione and Harry. "I need to speak to my fiancé for a moment, Potter."

"How do you know I know, Malfoy?"

"She told me. Now run along."

"I'm perfectly fine staying right here, Malfoy," Harry said, stiffening. "I'm sure she doesn't want to talk to you, anyway."

"Your grandmother wanted to talk to me before we left this morning," Draco said, turning his attention to Hermione. "We need to talk. I need to tell you something."

"Wh…Hermione, your grandmother was here?" Harry asked.

"Draco, just a second," Hermione sighed, looking at her best friend. "He went with me to my parents' house for the funeral. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I meant to, even before I left, but I didn't have—"

"If you so much as put a _hand _on Hermione, Malfoy," Harry growled, giving Draco a death look. "You will regret it."

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at her best friend in shock.

"Hermione, he doesn't get off with forcing you to take him with you just because you have to marry him!"

"He didn't force me to do anything, I asked him to go!"

Harry looked as if somebody had Confounded him.

"Who are you," he started, "And what the hell did you do with my best friend, Hermione Granger?" he asked, before turning and walking away.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco asked, turning to look at her.

"I'll be fine," she said quietly. "He just needs to calm down, he understands all of this, once he calms down he'll get it." She looked up at Draco, "What did you need to talk about?"


	10. The Nightmare

_They had gotten him. There was nothing she could have done to stop them, and they had gotten him. She was supposed to be smart—they always _told _her she was smart, but she hadn't done _anything _and he had been taken. It was obvious what was going to happen; they were going to take him to V—Voldemort, and he would kill him. Her best friend would be _dead _by the end of the night because she hadn't been able to figure it out. She hadn't realized that Harry needed her when she had the chance. _

_She wasn't there, but she could tell it was happening. Being friends with Harry for seven years had happened to help tighten their bond, and she knew. She could feel it in her very core. He was getting taken to Voldemort. He was going to be dead. With every fiber of her being, she hoped she wouldn't feel it when it happened; she didn't want to feel the hollow feeling inside of her that she knew she would feel when it happened—but then it was there._

"No!" Hermione gasped, sitting up. Heaving several times, she attempted to catch her breath. Every time she had the nightmare, she woke up feeling breathless.

It was dark inside the dorm; once again, she hadn't made it through the night without waking up in fear. She couldn't see the clock that hung on the wall through the darkness, which made it impossible to know just how long she had made it that time. She took in another deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. It was getting ridiculous. She _had _to sleep. There were classes, and exams, not to mention everything she had to take care of as a Prefect—the thinking only woke her up more.

"Don't tell me it happened again," Draco moaned, and he sat up in his bed. "It's the third time this week, Granger."

"It happened…but I think I'll be okay," she sighed, opening her eyes. "I have to try to get sleep somehow."

"Hermione, it can only happen so many times before it starts affecting both of us." He sighed, and Hermione could hear movement from across the room, where his bed was.

One of the lamps began burning a flame from the middle of the room a moment later, and Hermione squinted at Draco.

"What are you doing? It's the middle of the night."

"Get up," was all she got in reply.

"Again, it's the middle of the night, Draco, what are you doing?"

"Well, I can't exactly go into the Gryffindor dorm and pretend to be some guard dog to make sure Potter isn't actually being affected by your dream, but I _can _attempt to calm you down enough so you can get some rest."

Hermione was confused by his words; she didn't know what he was talking about. Even without having gotten any rest in nearly three nights, she was oddly awake. She rose her eyebrow in the questioning way she had.

"What is it that you're thinking of doing, Malfoy? If you're thinking of sleeping in my bed, I'm sorry, it isn't happen—"

"Bloody hell, Granger, I'm starting to remember what made me think of you as insufferable. I promise I'm not getting into your bed, and you aren't getting into mine. But we both need sleep because we're both still going to class here, believe it or not, so get your Muggle-born arse out of your bed before I have to get you out by force."

Hermione made no effort to move, and Draco took a step towards her, holding his hand out.

"The longer you go without cooperating, Granger," he started, stopping when he was standing next to her. "Means the less sleep that we _both _will be getting. And I don't know about you, but if I'm tired in the morning, we will both be suffering."

Hermione stared at his hand questioningly and moved her dark eyes to look at his dark ones, her eyebrows raised, questioning him.

"If you don't get up _now, _I will pick you up and make it very difficult for you to get down."

She drew her legs up towards her and continued to stare at him.

"Damn it, Granger, its one-thirty in the morning, do you want to sleep tonight or not?"

"I want to know what the hell you're planning on doing to me before I actually do anything."

"Granger, I think by now we both know that I'm not going to do _anything _to you that would be considered rude. So get up. _Now._"

Hermione shook her head, looking amused, "I think you're overreacting just a tad, Malfoy. It was just a nightmare, we both could have been asleep again by now if you had just stayed on your side of the room."

Draco laughed shortly and nodded his head, "Okay. You asked for it, Granger."

"What are you—ah!" Hermione shrieked, slapping at Draco's shoulder, "Put me down!"

"You didn't get up, I'm just following through." Draco said, tightening his grip on Hermione as he lifted her up, "And will you be quiet? If we're roomed near any other person in the castle, I'm sure we'll both be thrown out by morning because of your screaming."

"I'm not screaming!" Hermione said, her voice shrill as she writhed around in his arms, "But put me down!"

He began walking, but it was impossible for Hermione to see where he was going; he was doing a particularly good job of obscuring her view.

Finally, he came to a stop and then Hermione felt something soft underneath her. She realized she was sitting on the couch in the common room, and she looked over at Draco, who was now sitting across from her.

"What exactly are we doing in here? It's one-thirty in the morning, we need sleep, don't we?" she asked, "And how is this going to help anything? I'm serious, we could already be asleep if you hadn't insisted on—"

"We're sleeping in here." Draco said, pointing his wand at the fireplace so there were orange embers filling the space.

"What do you mean, _we_?" Hermione asked, looking reluctantly at him, "How is this going to help anything?"

"I told you. I can't exactly go and pretend to be a guard dog for Potter to make your nightmares stop, so maybe this will help," he stretched his legs out in front of him and put his arms across the back of the couch.

"And…what is this? How do you expect this to work?"

"Just come here," Draco said. "If we can actually sleep tonight, it'll be a miracle."

Hermione was reluctant; what was he trying to prove? Was he trying to prove anything? After everything he had done in the past week, with the funeral, she didn't see why he needed to prove _anything _to her, but it felt like he was trying to. And what was happening? Clearly, he wasn't the same prat that she had grown up knowing. He was changing; he was different.

"Granger?" he asked, bringing her out of her questions, "Do you want to be awake all night?"

Before she could begin over-thinking again, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, curling her legs underneath of her. His arm slowly found its way around her—almost fearfully—and she closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>Draco opened his eyes and realized he had spent the night on the couch…with Hermione. He looked down, for some reason expecting—or hoping—to see her there, but she was gone. Of course she would be gone already; she was always out early, even if her mates hadn't spoken to her since they'd gotten back.<p>

Sighing, he stood up and took a minute to stretch; normally, he didn't need to, but sleeping upright on a couch could change things. The fire from the night before no longer burned in the fireplace, so he didn't concern himself with tending to it. Knowing that Blaise would be bored if he didn't get to breakfast _soon_, he quickly began getting ready, trying to push all thoughts of the night before from his mind.

* * *

><p>Hermione had taken to eating around the first years when it came to meals. Harry still hadn't calmed down from his discovery that Draco had gone with her, and Ron—being as stubborn as he possibly could be—of course sided with Harry. It wasn't that she minded eating near the younger students, in fact, she actually enjoyed getting to help them get used to Hogwarts, but she <em>did <em>miss her friends. Ever since the night Harry stopped talking to her, she had been having nightmares. Horrible, vivid ones of Death Eaters catching him and taking him to Voldemort to die. In the dream, Hermione could always tell when it was happening, even if Harry hadn't told her at all.

Every time she woke up, she was terrified by the sudden possibility of that being what happened in the end.

"Hermione?" she heard somebody ask, and she looked up across the table to see Ginny standing there, her eyes red and her voice sounding hoarse, "Our friendship is still intact even with your fight with my brother, isn't it?"

"Of course. Ginny, what happened? Are you okay?" Hermione said, looking at her friend worriedly, "Sit down."

Ginny sat down slowly and began buttering a piece of toast. She sniffed and dropped it onto the plate that had appeared in front of her. She moved to pour orange juice into a glass, but her hand began shaking. Hermione reached across the table and grabbed the pitcher from her, pouring it for her.

"Ginny," she said, setting the pitcher down. "You're starting to worry me, what's happened?"

"It—it's Dean. W—we've b—b—been fi—fighting."

"Oh, Ginny…I'm sorry, why?"

"Seamus says his mother wants him home until the Dark Days are over…Dean was blaming Harry, saying it was his fault…I tried defending him, but I had no right, and…he didn't mean it. I know he didn't."

"Ginny…you don't have to defend Harry, he knows how to take care of himself. We both know he's been dealing with being the Chosen One his own way, at this point I don't really think he cares if people believe that he is or—"

"Hermione, its _Harry_. Of course I had to defend him. I'm sure Dean and I will be okay, he was just upset about Seamus, he'll calm down…he'll calm down, won't he?"

Hermione didn't answer, but instead looked down the table towards where her friends sat. She knew if she told Ron and Harry about what she had been told, they would fix it. But then, she would lose Ginny, too.

"I don't know, Ginny," she said, turning back to look at her. "But I'm sure it will be fine."

Ginny nodded and began to eat.

"It's going to be okay, you know," she said, causing Hermione to look up. "Harry isn't mad anymore, he told me. He just doesn't know how to react to everything with you and Ferret Boy."

Hermione gulped and her eyes focused onto somebody behind Ginny, at the Slytherin table.

"I don't really know how to respond to any of it, either," she admitted. Draco looked up and his eyes met hers. Before she did anything else, she looked back at Ginny.

* * *

><p>"Hermione!" somebody yelled, and Hermione turned to see Harry running through the corridor towards her, "Wait up, we have class together."<p>

"I know this, Harry, we've had the same classes together since the start of term," she sighed, beginning to walk once he was besides her. "So you're speaking to me now?"

"I'm sorry, Mione. I didn't mean to get angry, it's just…well, you're my best friend, and the idea of that…that git being anywhere near you when I couldn't help if you needed it—it made me mad, I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, Harry, I should have told you I had asked him to go. I tried to, but right as I was about to, McGonagall told me it was time to go."

"Can we be friends again?"

Hermione stopped walking, pulling Harry to a stop with her.

"When did we stop, Harry Potter?" she asked, grinning, "Come on. We don't want to be late."

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter seems boring in comparison to the others, I needed a filler, and this idea was something I really wanted to do. Please read&review, and I'll update soon! **


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